B.J. Penn’s comeback has been delayed again. Two weeks out from the UFC Manila event that he was scheduled to headline against Ricardo Lamas, Penn has been taken off of the October 15th card. MMAjunkie broke the news on Tuesday that he was reportedly injured, but the nature of the injury is still a mystery.
Penn hasn’t fought since getting demolished by Frankie Edgar in 2014. He retired from the sport but quickly recanted in January of 2016 after being induced in to the UFC Hall of Fame. Initially, he was scheduled to fight Cole Miller at UFC 199 but thanks to a violation for using a banned I.V. he was suspended by USADA for six-months.
Lamas (16-5) lost a unanimous decision to Max Holloway at UFC 199 and in the only other main event he participated in he was KO’d by Chad Mendes in April 2015. Experts were speculating that Penn took the fight because he thought it was a sure victory to get him back in the fold and the good graces of the fans.
More on this as it develops. UFC Fight Night 97 airs exclusively on Fight Pass.